The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-05-11

hour on earth. will tell you now
what / would not have had the courage
TO tell you under other circumstances.
/ love you as / never loved any other be-
fore. You were placed under my charge
TO watch over and protect, but now L must
place you under the care of some one else
In one OF the boats, for / must be the last to
leave my vessel, and ii may go down before
can leave 1t. Come, and as we 60 I'll say
farewell"
may, Captain Murray. would stay with
you. / love you, warrant, as much as
YOU do me, and when you die L wish TO die
also"
The Captain clasped her in his arms,
and amid the bowling of the storm, and
the lurching of the vessel, imprinted upon
her lips kiss of pure and holy love. The
storm had now lulled considerably, yet the
sea was violently rough. The last of the
passengers and seamen were scrambling
into the boats. Pete, the Captains cook,
was handing down into the yawl little
girl, the daughter of tho mate who stood
just behind anxiously looking on, when
suddenly the vessel gave great forward
lurch.
"Cut loose" cried those in the boat,
"she's going under" 1t was Immediately
done. Pete and the mate sprang over in
to the yawl, at the risk of manning some
one, and the boats all shot away from the
doomed vessel, on whose deck alone was
left Captain Murray and Adelaide, clasped
in each others arms, and thus they went
! down, down, down, with their ill-starred
vessel to its watery grave. To Captain
Murray, who held Adelaide clasped tightly
in his arms, it seemed as if they would
never begin to rise again. All at once he
felt something surge up beneath his feet,
bearing them upward. He never lost his
consciousness, but great roaring was in
his ears, and it seemed as if he would suf-
focate for want of air. Let any one hold
his breath minute by the watch if he can,
and he will have Some idea of his feelings
as he went up, up, to the surface. 1t was
reached at last. The Captain caught one
gasp of air, and before he could catch an
other, felt himself and Adelaide going
down, down, again; but in few seconds
they returned TO the surface. The
stout planking of one of the decks
vessel and had arisen immediately
beneath them, and its buoyancy doubt
less saved them from going TO q much
greater depth and from perishing. The
portion of deck which had broken loose
was some eight or ten feet in width and
double that in length. The planking had
been stoutly braced together, so that there
was but little danger of its going to pieces
Immediately. Near the outer edge of this
planking, securely fastened to it, were
some iron rings. which had been thus
placed that ropes might be drawn through
and secured.
Providentially as they came to the sur
face the second time, Captain Murray was
directly over one of these rings. The Cap
tain instantly grasped the ring with his
left hand, while he supported the now I'M
conscious Adelaide with his right. He
caught his breath rapidly as the planking
beneath them arose to the top of q huge
wave. The life giving air renewed his al
most exhausted strength, and he instantly
arose erect, and lifting Adelaide as high as
he could reach above his head, he ran his
foot through the ring, SO that he might not
be swept backward and off into the water as
they went down into the trough of the bill
low AS they went downward, the planking
shot into, and was for a short time SO deep
ly submerged in the next wave that the
water swept up even into the Captains
face and had it not been for his foot in the
ring, and the other foot hard braced behind
him, he would have been instantly swept
away; as it was, he with difficulty held
Adelaide clear of the water above him, and
maintained his balance. The ring was
near the forward end of the planking, and
the weight of the Captain and Adelaide
had submerged their frail support much
more than it would otherwise have been.
The Captain felt that he could not main
tain his position long. AS they arose TO
the top of the next wave he looked back
and saw, as he expected, another ring at
the back end of the planking.
He Immediately rushed toward it, bear
ing Adelaide with him. His experience
in walking upon the deck of his vessel
when it was rolling and lurching so that
landsman would have fallen headlong,
now enabled him to reach the other
ring in safety, just as they went
sweeping down into the trough of
the next billow. The weight, now
so suddenly transferred to the back
end. so raised the front of the planking,
that when it dived into the next wave the
water barely swept around the gallant Cap
tain's ankles. He now felt much more SCI
cure and turned his attention to Adelaide,
who was vomiting sea-water and gasping
for breath. In short time she had fully
recovered, and the Captain placed her on
her feet beside him, while he supported her
with his right arm, his right foot being
firmly braced in the ring. Occasionally
they had to move from side to side TO bal
ance their frail craft and to keep it from
turning end for end. In this way an hour
passed, and the sea grew comparatively
smooth, so that they could move about to-
gether upon their frail craft in safety. A
few more hours, and the sea had resumed
its natural plscidity The day wore away,
and night came on. They passed the night
in sitting side by side upon the planking,
which still held together remarkably we'll.
Morning dawned at last. Ten o'clock
came, and, to the Joy of both, sail was
deserted bearing directly toward them.
They were both beginning TO suffer from
hunger and thirst, Adelaide very severely.
The advancing sail proved TO be a very
small schooner sailing from San Augustine
to Havana. As it drew near, a boat was
sent out, and the Captain and Adelaide
were taken on board, where they received
every courtesy from captain and crew. At
Havana, a vessel was found about to sail
for Charleston, and, taking passage, they
soon arrived at the latter place, where the
gallant Captain had the satisfaction of de-
livering his charge safely into the hands Of
her parents; but as the price of his deliv-
cry he demanded his cargo, and his demand
was complied with, and he and Adelaide in
few weeks were united in marriage.
Only one of the boats from the ILL
starred brig escaped; the other three were
II Il.